# Recent Prod. Habanos - Opinions



## TomHagen (Feb 18, 2008)

For those who smoke a lot of Habanos -

What do you think of recent production Habanos of recent vintage 2007-2008? (2007 seems to be a great year)

What do you think are the best brands of recent vintage (newer) to smoke _*now*_?

Do they need age, as Habanos once did?

I ask for a few reasons... 
1) My supplier usually only supplies recent vintage, but at great price and service.
2) I haven't smoked a full range of Cubans, but I find that many brands are "ready to smoke", as previously they needed age. ex. Monte's, Bolivar's, RASS, PSD4. 
3) Recent production standards seem to be up, up, up (especially since the boom) along with proper aging of wrapper leaf. Less plugged cigars, better general construct. and uniformity. Esp. 2004/5 and on... 
4) I realize most people buy with age, but when is the "sick period" for recent prod. Habanos?
5) Newer releases are ready to go now, Edmundo & Petit, or can be waited on.:2

Any recommendations or input would be much appreciated!!:tu


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Fresh right off the truck lately I have enjoyed...

Bolivar Gold Medals
Bolivar PCs
Partagas PSD4s
Romeo y Julieta EX. #4
Punch Punch

The sick periods don't seem to be congruent...for instance, seems like a lot of the '07 Cohiba Sig IIs are going into a sick period now, whereas the '07 PSD4s don't seem to be. People used a rule of thumb of 6-18 months as a PSD4 sick period, but I haven't experienced that at all with the '07s. Sometimes, you just gotta smoke one and see where they are at.


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## chenvt (Apr 12, 2008)

icehog3 said:


> Fresh right off the truck lately I have enjoyed...
> 
> Bolivar Gold Medals
> Bolivar PCs
> ...


this statement makes me sad and is making me thinkg about an all night binge chain smoke of siglo II tubos


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## broozer (Mar 23, 2006)

no idea. i don't like cigars from '04 til now. even the '04's taste way too young to me and FOR ME it's a waste to smoke them now.

bruce


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

No problem with a majority of stuff I bring back from the island. Once settled, they're fine. But like most things, but not all things , they get better with age.


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## raisin (Dec 3, 2005)

I am not optimistic about the 08's, IF we are lucky they might end up like the 01's.


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## newcigarz (Feb 11, 2007)

I have not had an '08 yet. I agree that certain '07s are in a funk right now.


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## vicvitola (Mar 18, 2008)

Most of the 07 production I have smoked have been good/great with the exception of a few crappy boxes of Nov/Dec? Upmann #2s which the vendor took back and replaced. Feb and March 07 were stellar production months IMO.

As far as 08 I have only smoked three, Upmann#2, Monte #2 and the Mag 50. The #2s were good fresh CCs (not really much else to say at this point) and time will tell. I am really glad that I picked up the Mag 50s on originally release because if the first one was any indication they could be like the original releases of the Sig VI and the Edmundo. Both the original releases on those were great only to be followed by an inconsistent roller coaster afterwards IME. I'm generally optomistic about 08 production.


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## Addiction (May 8, 2007)

I have a precious few number of 07s or 08s. In fact I'd say off the top of my head the only 07-08s I have are Cohiba Secertos, Cohiba Magicos, BGMs and Edmundo Dantes. That said in my opinion 3 of those 4 are smoking really well right now.

I do plan to buy more recent production runs, but I'll be smoking my vintage stuff mostly then rotating that recent run stock up.


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

chenvt said:


> this statement makes me sad and is making me thinkg about an all night binge chain smoke of siglo II tubos


Nah, save some of them....they may be even better than they started once the sick period ends.


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## Funnymantrip (Oct 28, 2004)

It's hard to beat all the POS 06's.... Those were phenominal.


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## Spect (Sep 19, 2007)

I know last week a few folks said they were very harsh, but I've really enjoyed the '07 RASS.


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## chibnkr (May 2, 2007)

icehog3 said:


> Fresh right off the truck lately I have enjoyed...
> 
> Bolivar Gold Medals


Agree 100%. These are great smokes. And I really think that they will age well.

Other than those, in terms of "regional release" cigars, I've really enjoyed the PL Magnificos and think that they are absolute classics in the making. JMHO, though.


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## CigarGal (Jun 2, 2006)

Smoked an 08 VR Unicos and it was pretty tasty. Smoked two of my Partagas Mille Fleurs from June 07 and they are bitter. Timing is everything.:tu


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## Artie97 (Nov 3, 2004)

chibnkr said:


> Other than those, in terms of "regional release" cigars, I've really enjoyed the PL Magnificos and think that they are absolute classics in the making. JMHO, though.


Agree 100%


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## zmancbr (Nov 20, 2007)

Spect said:


> I know last week a few folks said they were very harsh, but I've really enjoyed the '07 RASS.


:tpd:

I love the '07 RASS right now... and the '07 Cohiba Maduro Secretos are smoking pretty nicely as well.


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

icehog3 said:


> People used a rule of thumb of 6-18 months as a PSD4 sick period.


And some of us use the rule of thumb that the sick period for PSD4's starts when it is rolled and ends when it is stubbed out :ss


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

PaulMac said:


> And some of us use the rule of thumb that the sick period for PSD4's starts when it is rolled and ends when it is stubbed out :ss


:r:tpd:


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

icehog3 said:


> Nah, save some of them....they may be even better than they started once the sick period ends.


What is your definition of 'sick period'?


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## landhoney (May 17, 2008)

DonnieW said:


> What is your definition of 'sick period'?


That depends on what the meaning of 'is' is? :r Hard to resist. :bn


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## vicvitola (Mar 18, 2008)

DonnieW said:


> What is your definition of 'sick period'?


The following is a good read regarding "sick periods".

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=29840


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

PaulMac said:


> And some of us use the rule of thumb that the sick period for PSD4's starts when it is rolled and ends when it is stubbed out :ss





carbonbased_al said:


> :r:tpd:


Whaddaya expect from a couple scotch-swilling East coasters?  :r



DonnieW said:


> What is your definition of 'sick period'?


My definition...cigar can be tannic, ammoniacal, and harsh. Others may have their own ideas.


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## okierock (Feb 24, 2006)

icehog3 said:


> Whaddaya expect from a couple scotch-swilling East coasters?  :r
> 
> My definition...cigar can be tannic, ammoniacal, and harsh. Others may have their own ideas.


The Hog creates a new word

AMMONIACAL!!!

I like the word but hate the flavor... good thing about this "sickness" is a lot of times you can smell it before ya start smokin it.:2


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## landhoney (May 17, 2008)

okierock said:


> The Hog creates a new word
> 
> AMMONIACAL!!!
> 
> I like the word but hate the flavor... good thing about this "sickness" is a lot of times you can smell it before ya start smokin it.:2


He's good, but not that good. 
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ammoniacal


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

icehog3 said:


> My definition...cigar can be tannic, ammoniacal, and harsh. Others may have their own ideas.


Tannic and ammoniacal would be adjectives I'd associate with 'sick'. Just wanted to make sure I'm on the same page.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

okierock said:


> The Hog creates a new word
> 
> AMMONIACAL!!!
> 
> I like the word but hate the flavor... good thing about this "sickness" is a lot of times you can smell it before ya start smokin it.:2


It's not new unfortunately - but sparingly used. Seems fitting here.


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## okierock (Feb 24, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> It's not new unfortunately - but sparingly used. Seems fitting here.


I stand corrected... Thats why the Hog is a mod:tu


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

okierock said:


> I stand corrected... Thats why the Hog is a mod:tu


Don't be too impressed...Hog had to look up the adjective form in Websters.


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

To me sick is also, and forgive me if I have not read all the posts, when a cigar ligts up, no bad smell or bad vibes, and there is just no flavor there. It's like smoking the cotton that used to get stuffed into aspirin bottles. You feel the smoke in your mouth but there is no taste or texture, no finish or satisfying flavor. The reason it can be identified as some 'period' is that you just smoked the same cigar a month ago and it was awesome. Since I like a stron, unapologetic cigar, ammoniac smell and tannins do not mean the same thing to me as to some folks. But smoking a big nothing, now that makes me _*sick, period.*_


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## chibnkr (May 2, 2007)

Anyone else have an opinion?


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## Snake Hips (May 30, 2008)

chibnkr said:


> Anyone else have an opinion?


Just any opinion? My opinion is that the Canadian fudge I just ate was delicious, and that I wish the Partagas I've just smoked was a CC. I also have the opinion that neither political candidate seems good at all this season. And this room is cold.

Sorry


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Smoked an '08 Monte #2 and an '08 BBF this week. Both had excellent construction, good quality wrappers and filler, and the flavor profiles of their predecesors. Both turned a bit tannic or sour the last 1/3rd or so, showing their youth. I think both examples have the potential to age into cigars reminiscant of the '03 versions in a few years, so I wouldn't hesitate to buy boxes of these '08s to age.


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## TomHagen (Feb 18, 2008)

icehog3 said:


> Smoked an '08 Monte #2 and an '08 BBF this week. Both had excellent construction, good quality wrappers and filler, and the flavor profiles of their predecesors. Both turned a bit tannic or sour the last 1/3rd or so, showing their youth. I think both examples have the potential to age into cigars reminiscant of the '03 versions in a few years, so I wouldn't hesitate to buy boxes of these '08s to age.


I have got a box of BBF coming TOMORROW... keep you posted with box date and quality.:tu


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## landhoney (May 17, 2008)

icehog3 said:


> Smoked an '08 Monte #2 ... the flavor profiles of their predecesors... I think both examples have the potential to age into cigars reminiscant of the '03 versions in a few years, so I wouldn't hesitate to buy boxes of these '08s to age.


Music to my ears!  Thanks for the micro-mini-review.


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